''Pink Funky'' is the third
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. by South Korean girl group
Mamamoo. It was released by
RBW on June 19, 2015 and distributed by
CJ E&M Music
Stone Music Entertainment (Hangul: 스톤 뮤직 엔터테인먼트), is a South Korean music distribution company under CJ ENM, along with music streaming store Genie Music. It was one of the largest co-publisher companies in South Korea.
The ...
. It contains six songs, including the singles "Ahh Oop!" (a collaboration with
Esna
Esna ( ar, إسنا , egy, jwny.t or ; cop, or ''Snē'' from ''tꜣ-snt''; grc-koi, Λατόπολις ''Latópolis'' or (''Pólis Látōn'') or (''Lattōn''); Latin: ''Lato''), is a city of Egypt. It is located on the west bank of ...
) and "Um Oh Ah Yeh". The album was the group's most successful to date, debuting at number six on the
Gaon Album Chart and selling more than 13,000 units. Musically, the album is a mix of genres including
R&B,
hip hop, and
funk.
Release and promotion
On April 2, 2015, Mamamoo released a surprise collaboration single with
Esna
Esna ( ar, إسنا , egy, jwny.t or ; cop, or ''Snē'' from ''tꜣ-snt''; grc-koi, Λατόπολις ''Latópolis'' or (''Pólis Látōn'') or (''Lattōn''); Latin: ''Lato''), is a city of Egypt. It is located on the west bank of ...
, titled "Ahh Oop!". It was promoted on music shows for two weeks, starting with ''
M! Countdown
''M Countdown'' () is a South Korean music program broadcast by Mnet. The show features appearances by popular music artists who also perform live on stage. It is broadcast from CJ E&M Center Studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul.
B ...
'' that same day.
The retro style music video for "Ahh Oop!" was produced and directed by Digipedi
Digipedi (디지페디, short for Digital Pedicure) is a South Korean video production company formed and led by art director duo Seong Won-mo and Park Sang-woo (The latter already left the company). Based in Seoul, the studio specializes in the pr ...
.
On June 11, Mamamoo announced the upcoming release of ''Pink Funky'' and lead single "Um Oh Ah Yeh". The full track list was revealed on June 17, and the album was released two days later. One reason the album was released in June was so the group could participate in university campus festivals in September, where girl groups are often invited to perform. In the music video for "Um Oh Ah Yeh", three of the members dress up as men, wearing wigs, beards, and prosthetic makeup
Prosthetic makeup also called special make-up effects and FX prosthesis) is the process of using prosthetic sculpting, molding and casting techniques to create advanced cosmetic effects. Prosthetic makeup goes back to the beginning of film maki ...
. Park Bo-ram
Park Bo-ram (; born March 1, 1994) is a South Korean singer. She took a part in Mnet's ''SuperStar K2'' and finished in eighth place. Park made her debut with release digital single "Beautiful" featuring Zico on August 7, 2014. That year, she ...
makes a cameo appearance as the girl who tells Solar that Moonbyul is actually a woman.
On June 14, Mamamoo held guerilla concerts in Daehangno
Daehangno (Hangul:대학로 Hanja:, lit. "college street") is a neighborhood in Seoul north of the Han River within Jongno-gu and Seodaemun-gu.
Formerly known as Sunggyobang (Hangul:숭교방 Hanja:), meaning "high respect for teaching", its c ...
and Hongdae, where they performed "Um Oh Ah Yeah" for the first time. The group held a comeback showcase for the album at Ilchi Art Hall in Cheongdam-dong
Cheongdam-dong () is a ward of Gangnam District in Seoul, South Korea. The area is best known in South Korea as an affluent neighborhood populated by a disproportionately high number of high-income individuals and for having some of the most expe ...
, Seoul on June 18. The album was then promoted for six weeks on various music shows, ending with '' Inkigayo'' on July 26.
Composition
The album was produced by RBW's CEO Kim Do-hoon. "Um Oh Ah Yeh" was written by Kim and three of the Mamamoo members—Solar, Moonbyul, and Hwasa. It is a "funky" R&B dance song with elements of 1990s synthpop. Lyrically, the song is about a girl who is in love with a man who is actually another girl. "Freakin Shoes" is a trap
A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research.
Trap or TRAP may also refer to:
Art and entertainment Films and television
* ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...
and hip hop song written by Hwasa, with music co-composed by Kim and Seo Jae-woo. "A Little Bit" is a pop ballad and "Self Camera" is a medium tempo R&B song. "No No No", written by Seo Yong-bae and Park Woo-sang, has a 1960s funk rhythm. "Ahh Oop!" was described as a funky dance song with a retro rhythm and blues guitar riff. It was written by Esna, and the lyrics tell men to stop using cliché pick-up lines and treat women with respect. The digital album released in South Korea includes an a cappella version of "Um Oh Ah Yeh", as well as instrumentals for "Um Oh Ah Yeh" and "A Little Bit".
Reception
The album entered the Gaon Album Chart at number six, and charted at number seven on the '' Billboard'' World Albums Chart. It was the 19th best selling album in South Korea during the month of June, selling 3,822 physical copies. As of May 2016, it has sold more than 13,000 units. "Um Oh Ah Yeh" entered the Gaon Digital Chart at number 22 and peaked at number three the following week, becoming Mamamoo's then-highest charting single. "Ahh Oop!" entered the Gaon Digital Chart at number 76 and peaked at 67 the following week.
The release of ''Pink Funky'' solidified Mamamoo's reputation as a girl group who can sing well, and their popularity rose with the success of "Um Oh Ah Yeh". This was partly due to the music video, which went viral on Facebook and "sent shockwaves through the K-pop scene", according to Yonhap
Yonhap News Agency is a major South Korean news agency. It is based in Seoul, South Korea. Yonhap provides news articles, pictures and other information to newspapers, TV networks and other media in South Korea.
History
Yonhap (, , translit. ...
's Chung Joo-won. Scott Interrante, writing for ''PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
'', said the album "features a more polished mainstream sound while retaining the focus of amamoo'spowerful vocals".
Track listing
Charts
References
{{Authority control
2015 EPs
Mamamoo EPs
Korean-language EPs
Stone Music Entertainment albums